


"My Daddy Taught Me To Always Smile..."

by IfonlyIwasandIam



Series: My Daddy Always Taught Me To Smile [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Character Death, F/F, F/M, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright Spoilers, Hoshido | Birthright Route, M/M, Other, Post-Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, Soleil and Ophelia share a deeprealm, Young Ophelia, Young Soleil, soleil has cotton candy hair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-26 04:51:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9863666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IfonlyIwasandIam/pseuds/IfonlyIwasandIam
Summary: The Hoshidan army has just taken down King Garon of Nohr, minutes after a red-haired mercenary and a blonde dark mage race in to find their fallen friend.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eponnini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eponnini/gifts).



> For the best friendo ever, Maryssa my dude.

The King had fallen. The Hoshidans had found themselves victorious after a taxing war, they tend to their wounded as Corrin walks into the Great Hall, where he had dueled with Xander and his retainers. Corrin heard heavy breathing, he looks and sees one of Xander's retainers, he's bleeding out from a deep slash across his abdomen, and yet he's still smiling. There's the sound of racing footsteps as a red-haired mercenary and a blonde dark mage sprint into the Great Hall.

 

“Inigo!” the red-head shouted, Corrin remembered her, her name was Selena and she was one of Camilla’s retainers. She dropped down on the side Inigo was bleeding out on.  
On the other hand, there was the young mage, who had dropped down to his closest friend’s other side, rambling,” Inigo of the Indigo Skies, my compatriot of the closest caliber, the stars forbid you from being consumed by the darkness of death. Fight the dark my friend! Fight the-“

 

“My old friend, stop the theatrics in my last moments. Please.” A weak, shaky voice barely pierces the silence, “I have fought for so long, the war that took our families, the war back home and now, who knew that it would end this way…” Inigo starts violently coughing. Odin yells for a healer, but they’re busier, tending to their own.

 

“Owain, Severa, please take Soleil to my mother and father, that’s the only family she’ll have left.” Inigo starts to cough again.

 

“Don’t say that idiot! You’re going to make it and introduce Soleil to Olivia yourself and you’re going to survive so she won’t become like us! She’ll need you! You-you idiot! You promised that we would all survive this! Y-you pro-mised!” Severa starts sobbing while rambling and shouting for a healer as well, yet no one comes.

 

“My friends, please know that your tears shall not make things better, smile my friends before I go. Tell Soleil to always smile, tell her the truth about what happened here today, I will forever wish we were a complete family…” Inigo looks over to his fellow retainer’s body. The mother of his child and the love of his life. Peri had been pierced by a spear and her neck had been cut, her death was quick and for that Inigo is slightly grateful. ”This is it my friends…we shall be together again someday…” and with that Inigo closes his eyes, hearing both Severa and Owain yelling for him, he smiles one last time before a familiar sight comes before him, his mother dancing her favorite dance.

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Selena was screaming. Her body was violently shaking, she could feel herself about to hurl when she realized the man responsible for all of this was standing just a few feet away. Boiling fury overwhelmed her as she reached for her sword, “You bastard! This is all your fault! You’re a monster, a monster! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you and make you suffer!”  
Her efforts were useless as she was held back by Odin, who still had visible tears falling from his eyes. Selena was kicking and punching, anything she could do to get to Corrin. She was silenced by Odin who had said, “It will do no good Severa, the stars and all the spirits that reside under them will assure that Corrin shall have not another peaceful night’s rest as long as he should live.”

Odin’s words struck true, for as long as Corrin would live, he saw the faces of his youngest sister, his oldest brother and his faithful retainers who served him until the end, as well as all the soldiers he had seen lying still on the fields of battle, they all haunted his dreams and nightmares. Corrin knew Selena’s words were true, he was a monster. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It wasn’t well known around the castle, but Leo and Camilla knew that Laslow had a daughter with Peri, who they named Soleil. It was also not as well known that Odin and Selena had a daughter named Ophelia. Due to the struggle with the war, both of the young girls had been sent to a deeprealm nearby. 

Soleil and Ophelia were as happy as two seven year olds could be. They had heard that the war had ended and they knew that it meant they were finally able to go home with their families. Ophelia had been non-stop babbling about how her father told her that they were going to name a spell together when the war ended. Soleil was just as ecstatic; her daddy had promised to take her to the fanciest tea shop he knew in all of Nohr. Both young children waited eagerly by the portal for their parents’ return.

Selena and Odin had entered the portal with grim faces. Ophelia immediately launched herself into their arms, crying about how happy she was to see them. Odin and Selena returned her hugs, feeling much better until they saw Soleil, staring at the portal with the biggest smile there ever could exist for a seven year old. 

Soleil sat, waiting, she would wait forever for her daddy, she knew he would turn up eventually; perhaps he was running a quick errand for his liege, or maybe he was trying to surprise her with a fancy dessert, or maybe- “Soleil?” a voice broke her train of thought. It was her father’s best friend, Odin.

“Mister Odin! Is my daddy running an errand? Is he getting me a gift? When is he coming? He said to me that the second the war was over, he and mother would immediately come to give me the biggest hugs and the we would all go to the fanciest tea shop Nohr had. Would you like to join us Mister Odin?” Soleil could hardly control her thoughts, she jumped up from her spot on the ground, she was too excited, then she saw the somber frown on Odin and Selena’s face.

“Hey now, my daddy said to always smile, no matter what. So smile, please Mister Odin, Miss Selena?” Soleil was trying to cheer them up, she didn’t want them frowning when her dad got here, after all, they were supposed to be celebrating! The war ended! It didn’t matter who won.

“Soleil, we need to tell you something.” Odin knelt down to look her in the eyes, Selena knelt beside him, with Ophelia tightly wrapped around her neck. Soleil couldn’t stop smiling, maybe her daddy was going to meet her on the other side. She waited eagerly for Odin to continue talking. Odin shared one uneasy glance to Selena, who nodded and then buried her face into Ophelia’s bright red hair which matched her own. Odin took a deep breath before continuing,” Soleil…there is not an easy was to say this. The stars above have taken your father and mother and now they guard them in the ethereal heavens whom only choose the strongest of warriors to enter and drink from the lake of gold.”

Soleil was confused,” So they just went on a mission? When will they be back?”

Odin sighed and looked at Selena again. She handed him Ophelia who had an anguished look across her face, she understood her father perfectly.

Selena started,” What Mister Odin is trying to say is…um…Soleil, you know that your father and mother were very brave soldiers right? They had their duty to protect their comrades, right?”

Soleil nodded eagerly,” Yeah, of course! Daddy and Mommy always told me how fun it was sometimes, but they also said that it’s very dangerous, Mommy said that people bleed out all the time and then daddy told her ‘Not in front of Soleil!’ and then mommy picked me up and spun me around and gave me kisses all over my face before we sat down and ate dinner. My mommy is the best chef ever! Have you ever had her cookies? They are amazi-“

“Soleil,” Selena interrupted the off-topic child,” your mommy was right, people do get hurt all the time, sometimes they get hurt so badly, they’re no longer with us, they, um…died…”

Soleil knows all about death, mommy talked about it whenever daddy wasn’t around.  
“Why are we talking about death? We’re supposed to be happy!” Soleil questioned.

“Soleil,” Selena started up again, tearing up a bit,” Your mommy, and daddy, they’re both some of the people that got hurt really bad…I’m sorry Soleil, your mommy and daddy are no longer with us...”

Soleil couldn’t think. What had Miss Selena said? Dad, Mom? They’re…dead? She could feel her tears start to fall from her eyes and said,” How…? They were the best of the best…Daddy told me that they would survive this?”

Selena and Odin didn’t dare lie to the child, they told Soleil of the taxing final battle, Corrin and his army’s invasion, her parent’s final stand that took their lives, and how her father told her to always smile, no matter what. 

Soleil decided to listen to her father’s last words. Through her tears, she put on her biggest smile. She made a promise to herself, she would always smile no matter how much it hurt.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Selena and Odin brought both Soleil and Ophelia out of their deeprealm. They had made the decision to go back to Ylisse, so Soleil could still be around her family. The group stayed to lay their fallen soldiers to rest. Soleil looked at her parent’s faces for the last time, weeping while promising in front of them that she would always smile for them. Soleil took her father’s sword, and her mother’s ring so they would always be with her. 

Blood red eyes saw the young girl, who looked so much like the man he had sent his soldiers to kill. Corrin knew that he had orphaned a young girl, how many others were suffering this same fate? How many others are still waiting for their mother and father to come home? He remembered the border guards who fought like demons to protect their home, he remembered the way the knight had crawled to the blonde fighter, trying to reach her before he was impaled by a naginata. Corrin wondered if their child was somewhere, waiting for their parent’s return. Before Corrin could finish his pondering, the little girl who had just been crying over her parent’s caskets tugged on his cape. 

“It’s a sad day, mister. But my dad always taught me to smile, no matter what! Please smile, sir?” this little, innocent girl didn’t know of the things he did. She didn’t that he was the reason her parents were dead. 

Corrin smiled a little and kneeled down to look her in the eyes, “What’s your name?”

The little girl beamed and said, ”I’m Soleil! It’s nice to meet you mister!”

“Please, call me Corrin.” He responded as politely as he could. He would never forget this little girl’s smile. This smile would haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life. 

As Soleil beamed back at him, someone called for her. Corrin looked up to see the same red-haired mercenary that was in the Great Hall threatening to kill him. She was glaring at him with such ferocity, he knew he would be dead if she had a blade in her hands. The blond mage also appeared, holding a little girl that looked just like him but with her mother’s hair. He didn’t notice Corrin at first, but when he eventually looked up his face fell. Corrin knew that he could never ask for forgiveness from them. 

“I need to go now, it was nice meeting you mister Corrin!” Soleil waved and walked back to Selena who picked her up and with a final glare pointed at Corrin turned her back and walked away.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Selena, Odin, Ophelia and Soleil returned to Ylisse. They visited Lissa and Lon’qu first, Lissa cried the second she saw her son. She was ecstatic to find out that she had a little girl. Lon’qu was so proud of his son, he shed a few tears as well when his granddaughter hugged him. Lissa saw another little girl. She didn’t look like Owain or Severa, if anything she looked like Inigo… Speaking of which, where is Inigo? 

 

Lissa went over to the little girl and knelt,” Hi there! I’m Lissa. What’s your name?”

 

The little girl looked up, “I’m Soleil, it’s nice to meet you Miss Lissa.” Soleil answered very calmly, missing her usually energy.

Lissa frowned, she knew something was bothering this little child. Before she could ask her more questions, Owain called for her. Lissa stood and had Lon’qu play with Ophelia and Soleil. Lissa entered the kitchen where Severa and Owain were. Owain and Severa explained everything that happened when they were away, how Inigo is dead and how Soleil is an orphan. Lissa looked out the window and saw the two little girls playing with the biggest smiles on their faces. 

 

The small group stayed the night at Owain’s parents’ house. The next day they headed to see Severa’s family. 

When Stahl opened the door and saw his little girl, he was the one who started crying. Cordelia rushed in to see what the fuss was about and she too ended up with tears in her eyes at the sight of Severa and a grandchild. Once again, Owain and Severa told their story. They decided to leave Ophelia there while they delivered Soleil to her grandparents.

 

It was nearing evening when Olivia heard a knock on her door. She just finished washing dishes and wiped her hands off. Henry had opened the door and Olivia poked her head through the doorway. 

“Owain, Severa! It’s so good to see you again. Come in, come in!” Henry opened the door wider and smiled, ”Who’s this little girl? Did you guys get hitched?” Hnery kept chattering.

“Olivia, Henry, you two might want to take a seat.” Owain dropped his theatrics for the news he was about to share.

“Wow, you guys are acting as if someone is dead!” Henry laughed. Severa and Owain looked at each other uneasily. “I’m just joking! Why the long faces?” Henry asked.

“Olivia, Henry, this is Soleil. Your son Inigo, found love and they decided to start a family. So in other words, Soleil is your…granddaughter…” Owain dropped off his sentence, letting it sink in. Olivia looked at Soleil, the small girl had blue hair that dropped into a colorful pink. She let out a laugh in disbelief. However, she was confused. Why hadn’t Inigo introduced her to Soleil himself? 

Owain saw the perplexed expression on Olivia’s face and continued, “The reason Inigo isn’t here to tell you himself is because...he is no longer with us. He and his wife fought bravely but were eventually, overwhelmed by enemy soldiers. I’m sorry...” 

Olivia’s head snapped up. She wasn’t hearing correctly, was she? Inigo, her son, dead? Tears welled up in her eyes. She started sobbing uncontrollably. Henry stopped smiling. His eyes opened and they were also full of tears. He put his arms around Olivia, they were both shaking. Olivia felt a small presence looking at them. She opened her eyes and saw Soleil, the little girl had tears streaming down her face but was smiling. Soleil said with a cracking voice,

“My daddy taught me to always smile, no matter what. So please, smile for me? Grandma? Grandpa?”

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fanfiction like this for a while woo I loved writing this so please leave some constructive criticism in the comments if you wish, it is more than welcome.


End file.
